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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fall — to drop
  17. drill — army training
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com